Best Energy-Efficient Edge AI Semiconductor Enterprise 2024 VALIT Ráðgjöf Innovation in Business - Q1 2025 Featuring:
Welcome to the Q1 2025 issue of Innovation in Business magazine. Innovation in Business is devoted to offering insights and features from across the global business landscape. This quarterly magazine is committed to bringing you updates on the digital world and all that it encompasses in this age of sophisticated technology. Digital technology has become the very crux of business development as this allows so many companies to broaden their horizons and customer base. With the rise of Artificial Intelligence and other digital processes, our Q1 2025 issue is sure to inform, educate, and inspire others throughout their endeavours. We’re pleased to have shared so many award-winning business journeys with our readers, and we hope you enjoy this issue. As we move forward, our Innovation in Business Magazine is set to come to a close. We have truly enjoyed delivering information and updates with regards to the world of technological advancements and we hope you find our other brands’ content to be insightful. Sofi Parry, Senior Editor www.innovationinbusiness.com Editor’s Letter AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility. Editors Sofi Parry, Senior Editor | Kita Thomas, Writer | Joshua Beardsmore, Writer Designers Emma Hunt, Creative Team Manager | Lauren Baldwin, Graphic Designer
Contents 4. Experience the Future of Gaming: Tencent Games Brings Innovative Game Technologies to GDC 2025 5. IT Solutions Consulting Completes Acquisition of Affinity Technology Partners, Tennessee-based IT Service Provider 6. VALIT Ráðgjöf: Best Energy-Efficient Edge AI Semiconductor Enterprise 2024 7. Balancing AI Innovation With Other Technology And Human Interactions 8. Why the Future of Workplace Software is Less, Not More 9. How ERP Streamlines Lean Manufacturing 10. UK Workforce Faces Widespread AI Confidence Crisis
NEWS gaming AI technology that allows players to interact with F.A.C.U.L., an AI companion in the first-person shooter game “Arena Breakout”, to undertake complex commands and perform a series of tasks that were hitherto impossible. Another exciting highlight is “Delta Force’: Performant High-Quality Terrain and Biome Technology for PC and Mobile” with Hang Jiao, Engine Team Lead and Lichuan Wang, Technical Art Team Lead at Team Jade, TiMi Studio Group, that will dive into creating expansive and immersive environments across platforms while achieving industry leading performance on a wide range of devices. The Tencent Games Developer Summit will be held on March 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (PST), offering a series of nine expert-led sessions on a range of topics, including advanced graphic techniques such as Inline Ray Tracing for enhanced shadows and ambient occlusion. In a deep dive into Delta Force over three sessions, Team Jade will share strategies for designing expansive PvP levels, essential elements that define a tactical shooter, and the process of delivering highquality visuals across platforms, providing actionable insights for developers optimizing game development. The summit will also explore how community feedback and developer passion drive innovation, with sessions on AIdriven conversational solutions for deeper player engagement, and techniques to gather genuine player insights during playtesting phases. Additional sessions will explore evolving cloud strategies, and key user acquisition technologies for sustaining Games-as-a-Service success. With insights into both technical and creative aspects, the summit promises to equip developers with the insights and Experience the Future of Gaming: Tencent Games Brings Innovative Game Technologies to GDC 2025 In anticipation of the 2025 Game Developers Conference (GDC), Tencent Games, the world’s leading platform for game development, publishing and operations, announced it will showcase its innovative game development technologies and closed-door game demonstration of TiMi Studio Group’s yet-to-be-released multi-player adventure RPG - Honor of Kings: World, at the GDC Expo Hall. Alongside these launches are 13 expertled sessions and a feature-rich booth, spotlighting nextgeneration innovations shaping the future of player experiences and game development. At Tencent Games’ booth, AntiCheat Expert (ACE) will present their 20 years of experience in safeguarding game integrity. With an industry-leading AIdriven anti-cheat technology, ACE is equipped to counter both prevalent and evolving threats, including AI cheats. Visitors can also learn about GiiNEX AI, the revolutionary gaming platform launched at GDC 2024, now supporting 150 million daily active users across top global game titles. Additionally, WeTest, Tencent’s official one-stop game quality service platform, will showcase a suite of AI-powered testing solutions spanning the entire game lifecycle which is adopted by over 1,000 leading global game companies, supporting this dynamic industry’s growth. Attendees can also expect an engaging exploration of advancements in gaming technology and operational insights. With AI leading the change into the future of gaming, Elvis Liu, Principal Engineer of Tencent Games, Morefun Studios will be delving into human-AI communication in his panel, “F.A.C.U.L.: The First FPS AI Companion Who Understands Human Language.” Elvis will discuss the advancements in tools to push the boundaries of game creation. As the global gaming workforce evolves, Tencent remains committed to nurturing emerging talent through its “Future Innovators: Tencent Campus Drive,” which connects passionate students with handson experience, mentorship, and global perspectives. At this dedicated space, attendees can engage directly with recruiters and gain insights into Tencent’s business, talent philosophy, and career opportunities across Canada, China, Dubai, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. With roles available in game engineering, design, marketing, and research, graduating students can explore career paths that align with their aspirations while developing the skills needed to thrive in the dynamic gaming industry. Media who schedule appointments at GDC will be one of the first in the world to get an exclusive hands-on preview of Honor of Kings: World, an epic new multi-player adventure RPG set in the same universe as the world’s most popular mobile MOBA, Honor of Kings. Led by Simen Lv, Lead Game Designer for Honor of Kings: World, media will be immersed in gameplay demonstrations highlighting mechanics and combat styles while gaining insights into compelling narratives and the proprietary technologies bringing this adventure to life. As part of its ongoing commitment to innovation in the gaming industry, Anti-Cheat Expert (ACE) and WeTest are taking a part in the Thriving in Games Group (TIGG) Developer Summit at GDC 2025 along with other global video game companies in TIGG. ACE and WeTest will contribute to several insightful sessions focused on cutting-edge technology, security, and game quality assurance. WeTest will systematically demonstrate Tencent Games’ quality assurance system, presenting comprehensive solutions from functional testing, performance optimization, and security protection to global localization testing. It will detail how to address challenges across multiple platforms, regions, and international markets, while introducing IEEE P3391, the first international standard for mobile game quality, which aims to establish unified game quality evaluation criteria and enhance the overall quality standards of the global gaming industry. Additionally, ACE will share insights on AI-powered solutions for mobile game anti-cheating, detailing the innovative behavioral detection systems that go beyond traditional methods. Tencent Games is excited to contribute to these discussions, which aims to collaborate with the industry to enhance game quality, security, and player experience. For more information, please visit Tencent Games on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
IT Solutions, a leading multinational Managed Service Provider, has acquired AffinityTechnology Partners. This partnership strengthens IT Solutions’ service capabilities for healthcare providers and enhances local support in the Greater Nashville area. IT Solutions Consulting, a leading managed service provider (MSP) serving healthcare providers, legal firms, and commercial businesses across North America, announced today the acquisition of Affinity Technology Partners. Headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, Affinity supports businesses and nonprofits in the Greater Nashville area through securityfocused and process-driven managed IT services. The acquisition of Affinity bolsters IT Solutions’ presence in the Southeast and reflects its commitment to supporting the healthcare market. Both organizations specialize in HIPAA and HITECH compliance, cybersecurity, EMR/EHR management, and interoperable solutions for healthcare providers. By partnering with Affinity, IT Solutions will further empower healthcare leaders to navigate pervasive security and regulatory challenges with confidence. Garrett Graney, CEO of IT Solutions, enthusiastically shared: “This is an exciting step forward for both Affinity and IT Solutions! We’ve had our eyes on the Nashville market in pursuit of a robust MSP who shares our mission—to bridge the gap between technology and people. Affinity’s deeprooted expertise, including their tailored IT services for healthcare providers, makes them a natural fit for our expanding team. Together, we will continue to be a driving force in the growth and success of our clients.” Sean Wright, Affinity’s Founder and President, also expressed his excitement about the acquisition: “At Affinity, we’ve always believed in harnessing technology as a force for good—empowering our clients, employees, and local community through innovative technology solutions and servant leadership. As our team looked toward the future, we recognized that in order to make the biggest impact on the Nashville business community, we needed to grow with a partner who shares our values and vision. IT Solutions has the expertise and experience to enrich our clients’ business operations, unlike anything we have seen in the Nashville market. This acquisition represents growth for our team and an opportunity to deliver enhanced support, security, and innovation for the organizations that rely on us every day.” With the acquisition of Affinity, IT Solutions strengthens its expertise, ensuring clients receive best-in-class IT strategy, security, and support. Committed to sustainable, long-term growth, IT Solutions will continue expanding its multinational footprint through strategic partnerships with managed service providers. IT Solutions Consulting Completes Acquisition of Affinity Technology Partners, Tennessee-based IT Service Provider
Innovation in Business - Q1 2025 | 6 up with the industry’s rapid evolution but set the pace for it.” The company’s unparalleled prowess is driven by an internal culture characterised by a strong emphasis on innovation, collaboration, and a passion for pushing the boundaries of technology. To maintain this forward-looking culture, Ambiq promotes a series of shared values it expects the team to embody at all times: innovating, collaborating, focusing, learning, and achieving. Ambiq’s focus on innovation and creating ultra-low power semiconductor solutions attract engineers and scientists eager to work on cutting-edge projects, which in turn fosters a sense of excitement and purpose that not only makes Ambiq an attractive place to work for the innovative but also positions it at the forefront of developments in edge AI. For a pioneering company like Ambiq, the future is brimming with possibilities for expansion and enhancement. For over a decade, Ambiq has been relentlessly pursuing new and improved ways to revolutionise the industry, and 2025 promises to be no different; early this year, Ambiq will be releasing new SoC products, each offering a range of options to designers from businesses of all sizes interested in developing their edge devices. Ambiq will also be attending the 2025 Embedded World Conference and Exhibition in Nuremburg on March 11th-13th. This is the largest gathering for the embedded community, and Charlene tells us that Ambiq anticipates a remarkable showcase of its latest products and designs, live demos, and even a keynote speech from Carlos Morales, its Vice President of AI. “All semiconductor companies position themselves as low power, but our energy efficiency needs to be seen to be believed,” she adds. “We invite them to our booth #581 in Hall 4 to see our solutions in action.” Contact: Charlene Wan, VP of Branding, Marketing, and Investor Relations Email: [email protected] Telephone: +1.512.879.2850 Web Address: https://ambiq.com/ Best Energy-Efficient Edge AI Semiconductor Enterprise 2024 Since its inception, Ambiq has been dedicated to enabling AI everywhere by pioneering the development of ultra-low power System-on-Chips (SoCs) that deliver unprecedented efficiency and high-performance computing. Today, Ambiq provides energyefficient edge AI to the world’s leading wearables, digital health, smart homes, factory automation, and industrial IoT devices. This allows consumers to benefit from real-time health insights from their wearables, while various industries such as agriculture and factory automation can drive efficiency with AI-powered motion detection, predictive maintenance, and asset tracking. Founded with the belief that extremely low-power semiconductors are the key to the future of electronics, Ambiq has spent more than a decade optimising its operations. Today, Ambiq is a pioneer and leading provider of ultra-low power semiconductor solutions, designed to address the significant power consumption challenges of general-purpose and AI compute, especially at the edge. Ambiq’s hardware and software innovations deliver two-to-five-times lower power consumption than traditional semiconductor designs, with its products now powering more than 260 million devices worldwide. Ambiq seeks to drive growth in AI adoption at the edge throughout the personal devices, medical and healthcare, industrial edge, smart home, and building markets. The company has remained dedicated to setting new standards in edge AI performance and power efficiency, and over time, expects to integrate its ultra-low power technology into additional chip products that benefit from greater power efficiency, including high-performance compute applications, such as AI data centres and automotive. Unlike many semiconductor companies that focus on solving near-term challenges, Ambiq believes in continually pushing the boundaries further. The company’s strategy is deeply rooted in collaboration with customers; when discussing their goals for developing next-generation edge devices, the team challenges each client to think beyond immediate solutions and envision what their product could achieve in the long run. By aligning with their long-term visions, Ambiq ensures that its ultra-low power technology not only addresses their current needs but also sparks innovation years ahead of the industry’s schedule. “What sets Ambiq apart is that our team isn’t just composed of engineers and business leaders – we are also end-users who crave cutting-edge technology,” says Charlene. “We share the same excitement as consumers who eagerly anticipate the next wave of smart devices and connected solutions. This perspective drives us to create semiconductor solutions that don’t just keep AI has traditionally been power-intensive, often draining the batteries of edge devices. As a result, developers have had to make significant trade-offs between AI inferencing and essential features such as connectivity, sensing, and real-time processing. This challenge has largely restricted AI to the cloud, where its true potential remains unrealised. However, the ability to run AI on endpoint devices – such as smartwatches, hearables, smart assistants, and industrial sensors – unlocks tremendous health benefits for consumers everywhere. No one understands this better than Ambiq, a leading company striving to enable AI everywhere through cutting-edge technology. We discuss this mission below with Charlene Wan, VP of Branding, Marketing, and Investor Relations at Ambiq. Contact: Sverrir Davíðsson Company: VALIT Ráðgjöf Web Address: www.valit.is Nov24080
Innovation in Business - Q1 2025 | 7 Balancing AI Innovation With Other Technology And Human Interactions By AJ Thompson, CCO at IT Consultancy Northdoor plc Why the AI sector needs a more balanced approach with realistic infrastructure planning to ensure long-term success The rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has driven both investment and regulatory debates in recent years. However, the latest developments suggest that technology companies and creative industries are reassessing the long-term sustainability of AI from an economic, infrastructure and regulatory perspective, leaving the industry at a crossroads. According to new information from investment bank TD Cowen, Microsoft is scaling back its data centre investments. The company has cancelled leases with two datacentre operators and held back on completing contracts on a number of others. Data centre spending in international markets has also been pulled back and reallocated to the US. Although the picture isn’t entirely clear, Microsoft’s scale-back indicates that the company has oversupplied following its investment in the data centre space after the success of ChatGPT in 2022. However, the move also suggests that there may be a growing scepticism around AI’s economic returns, both short and mid-term. Cancelling leases may also indicate that it overestimated the immediate need for an AI-based infrastructure and is now taking a more cautious and measured approach. We also need to consider that this may indicate that the wider tech industry is concerned that the demand for AI justifies the largescale investment. This potential slowdown in international markets also shows a shift in Microsoft’s global strategy, impacting cloud and AI service availability and slowing digital transformation efforts in emerging markets. Datacentres also require significant power and cooling facilities and securing the necessary infrastructure in areas where the power supply in an issue may also be another reason for the lease cancellations. Microsoft’s scale-back could also signal a broader trend among cloud and AI leaders, affecting suppliers, datacentre operators, and enterprises that rely on these services. This could lead to a slowdown in AI infrastructure investment across the industry. Ultimately, this move signals that AI is facing practical and economic challenges, forcing companies to rethink their infrastructure strategies. As well as the issues from an economic and infrastructure perspective in the technology sector, there are also issues from a regulatory perspective in the creative industries. AI uses a vast amount of creative content, including video, audio and text. Currently AI developers gather this content by ‘scraping’ data from millions of websites which is then used to train new AI models. In UK law, AI developers can only scrape websites without permission for noncommercial research only. The UK Government has proposed a change to the current copyright laws to allow technology companies to train their AI models using creative works from films, TV shows, audio works and original journalism without the permission of the creators, unless the creator has opted out. The creative industries have pushed back on AI training without permission, signalling the increased concern over content protection and fair compensation. AJ Thompson, CCO at Northdoor plc, explains: “AI’s rapid rise has driven both investment and regulatory debates. With Microsoft’s retreat on datacentres due to overcommitment and infrastructure challenges and copyright concerns from the creative sectors, the AI industry is certainly experiencing growing pains. “Demands on datacentres are huge and they require high-powered computing and energy resources, leading to concerns over sustainability. Similarly, AI’s reliance on vast amounts of creative content for training raises questions around protecting intellectual property rights. “Microsoft’s slowdown in datacentre investment reflects a more cautious approach after the initial AI surge. This suggests AI firms are reconsidering their growth strategies amid infrastructure and cost challenges. “When a company like Microsoft makes significant changes to its AI programme because they aren’t convinced that the business model works, then arguably we all need to take a breather and review our investments before just assuming that the answer is AI whatever the question. Arguably, AI should be used in association with other technology and human interactions. “The AI sector needs a more balanced approach, with fairer partnerships, licensing models, and realistic infrastructure planning to ensure long-term success. Microsoft’s datacentre cuts and the copyright concerns highlight the need for a more sustainable, regulated approach to AI growth, one that balances innovation with economic and ethical considerations,” concluded Thompson.
May21135 Innovation in Business - Q1 2025 | 8 While few of us would ever actively try to imperil our organisation’s digital coherency or security, many of us do this every day by installing new software our IT teams know nothing about. According to the 2025 Zylo SaaS Management Index Report, 33.6% of business applications are now “shadow IT” – software deployed without IT department oversight. And even if they did have oversight, it would be almost impossible for them to keep up – the average business now juggles 220 different SaaS applications. This isn’t sustainable for any organisation. It’s clear, less is more. Why tech-overload is a problem The proliferation of software-as-a-service was supposed to democratise technology, making powerful tools accessible to everyone. Instead, it’s created a new kind of digital chaos. Each department, team, and individual have their own preferred tools, leading to data silos, security risks, and mounting costs. IT departments are fighting a losing battle against shadow IT, while employees face growing frustration with rigid, singlepurpose applications that don’t meet their evolving needs. The root problem isn’t that organisations are choosing the wrong software. It’s that the current SaaS model – thousands of discrete apps each doing one thing well – fundamentally misunderstands how humans and organisations work. People don’t think in terms of isolated functions. We think in terms of goals, projects, and workflows that cut across traditional software categories. Consider a typical marketing manager. In a single day, they might need to plan campaigns, manage budgets, collaborate with freelancers, track deliverables, analyse performance data, and report to stakeholders. Rather than one tool that adapts to these interconnected needs, they’re forced to bounce between multiple platforms – each with its own learning curve, login, and subscription fee. This adds massive cognitive weight to tasks that should not be as complicated as they seem. How we can all fix this Instead of countless specialised tools, what if we had fewer, more adaptable software that could reshape itself to match how people work and live? This isn’t about building one app to rule them all. Some specialised software will always have its place. But AI can dramatically reduce the number of tools needed by acting as a kind of digital Swiss Army knife – transforming to meet different needs while maintaining data continuity and user familiarity. New tools for new processes can be created in seconds within overarching platforms. Our workspace app Hylark is an early example of this shift. It is an AI-native platform that can flex and adapt to user needs, rather than forcing users to adapt to it. We haven’t just added AI features as an afterthought – the whole platform built from the ground up is mouldable by AI, creating workspaces that match each user’s unique requirements and workflows. When your tools can adapt to you, rather than the other way around, you spend less time managing software and more time being productive. Data flows more freely, collaboration becomes more natural, and security improves because there are fewer points of vulnerability to manage. Less is more The future of business software isn’t about having more tools – it’s about having better ones. Tools that adapt to how people work and live, rather than forcing work to adapt to the tools. Tools that break down silos instead of creating them. Tools that reduce complexity rather than add to it. As AI continues to mature, we’re entering a new phase – one where success will be measured not by how many tools you have, but by how effectively they adapt to your needs. For organisations drowning in software, this shift can’t come soon enough. The question isn’t whether this consolidation will happen, but who will lead it. The winners will be those who recognise the future of software isn’t about building more and more apps – it’s about building smarter ones that are led by the user. Why the Future of Workplace Software is Less, Not More By Andrew Quinn, Chief Technology Officer, Hylark
May21135 Innovation in Business - Q1 2025 | 9 which is why improving supply chain management is crucial. An ERP system can enable a manufacturer to track the movement of raw materials, work in progress, and finished goods throughout the supply chain, significantly improving process visibility. Employees can also use an ERP system to manage various supply chain processes, including sourcing, production, and distribution, and optimize them continuously. In addition, it can help a company manage suppliers more effectively by centralizing supplier data and providing features such as automated purchase order generation or invoice reconciliation. An ERP system can also help a manufacturer track supplier performance metrics, including on-time delivery, order accuracy, and lead time, to ensure that they deliver inventory and products to the right locations timely. Final thoughts The concept of lean manufacturing, which aims to continually improve production efficiency and reduce costs, is becoming increasingly common. If your company wants to embrace the benefits of lean manufacturing, consider adopting a comprehensive manufacturing ERP platform. A robust manufacturing ERP system can help you optimize key manufacturing processes (including those related to production, inventory, quality, and supply chain management) and thus streamline overall business performance. However, choosing the right ERP software can be challenging, given the number of solutions on the market. An experienced ERP consultant can help you define the right one and implement it properly. How ERP Streamlines Lean Manufacturing With the increasing adoption of lean manufacturing, which focuses on minimizing production inefficiencies and waste, manufacturing ERP software has become critical. Manufacturing ERP enables companies to increase visibility into key business processes, including production, inventory, and supply chain management, which is required for continuous operational improvement. Due to enhanced business transparency, manufacturing ERP systems help manage these processes more intelligently to deliver high-quality products at the lowest cost possible. This article highlights how a manufacturing ERP system can help your lean manufacturing company work better. Streamlined production planning and management The concept of lean manufacturing requires companies to optimize processes related to production planning and management, and a manufacturing ERP system can help a business in this regard. In particular, an ERP system can assist a lean manufacturing company in building realistic and accurate production schedules and plans. For instance, ERP can automate manual production planning and management processes to optimize their accuracy and speed. It can automatically generate a manufacturing bill of materials (MBOM) based on the technical specifications uploaded by employees. Such a system can also automatically create a production plan based on a product’s CAD or CAM model and allocate necessary production resources (raw material, machinery, etc.) based on real-time inventory and equipment maintenance data. An ERP system that features a digital Kanban board functionality helps employees visualize the production flow to track and manage production more intelligently. They can review task statuses to identify potential performance bottlenecks and issues quickly and resolve them promptly before they escalate. An employee can also rearrange the Kanban cards and alter task priority to optimize the production process (for example, if there is a need to adjust the workload between days or weeks). Inventory tracking and control A company aiming to minimize manufacturing waste should strive to reduce excess inventory in order to cut storage costs. A robust manufacturing ERP platform can help a company achieve this goal by providing comprehensive inventory management functionalities. Specifically, an ERP system can gather inventory-related data from multiple sources, be it accounting, finance, or supply chain management software, even in real-time. After processing this data, an ERP system can provide employees with real-time insights into a company’s stock level, which can help them efficiently identify excess inventory. In addition, ERP software can help manufacturers forecast inventory demand based on historical sales data and work orders in progress. By accurately forecasting inventory demand, manufacturers can make more intelligent procurement decisions to maintain optimal inventory levels and minimize inventory carrying costs. Enhanced product quality assurance and management Releasing a defective product can lead to product recalls, reputational risks, and customer churn, so keeping product quality high is essential. In lean manufacturing, maintaining great product quality is particularly important, as it helps companies reduce waste related to corrections and repairs of defective products. In short, a manufacturer can use such a system to generate, configure, and manage quality control plans. In addition, a company can use its ERP system to manage and schedule quality inspections at different manufacturing stages (from material procurement and storage to production and delivery). ERP can also capture qualityrelated data from manufacturing inspection software or testing devices and provide it to employees in a convenient format to facilitate quality checks. Optimized supply chain management Among other things, a lean manufacturing company should aim to reduce the time it takes to deliver products to customers,
Innovation in Business - Q1 2025 | 10 UK Workforce Faces Widespread AI Confidence Crisis New research reveals a troubling reality: UK employees are struggling with confidence in using AI at work, feeling undertrained yet eager to learn. The survey – conducted by AI training provider AI Quest – found that 74% expressed one of several concerns about using AI at work, including a lack of experience, feelings of overwhelm and anxiety. 75% of the 2,000 UK workers surveyed also said they do not fully grasp how to effectively use AI in their roles. Aligned with insights from the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, which predicts that 44% of job skills will change over the next five years, and 25% of jobs will transform within just two years, these new findings highlight a significant AI skills gap, exposing a critical need for upskilling and reskilling. Jonny Phillips, MD at Strive Training – the UK training provider behind AI Quest, which launched this month – comments: “With AI playing a bigger role in the future of work, the findings emphasise the urgency of upskilling our workforce. This isn’t just about keeping up with technology – it’s about making sure employees feel equipped to take on the jobs of tomorrow. As the WEF report highlights, reskilling and upskilling are not one-time efforts but an ongoing investment in our future workforce. It’s time for employers to step up and provide the support their teams need to thrive.” Despite 89% expressing an interest in learning how to integrate AI into their work if training were more engaging and accessible, employer support is lacking. A concerning 40% of respondents say they have received no AI training at all and, among those who have, 23% said it fell short of their expectations, while 17% found it basic. 60% of the respondents said they would benefit from training that was either hands-on or covered real-world applications of AI, while 17% said they sought either more incentified, or gamified learning experiences to enhance their understanding and use of AI tools. The power of peer-to-peer learning also emerges as a potential solution, with 24% of workers feeling encouraged by their colleagues’ AI skills and believing they too can improve their abilities. However, 13% felt intimidated or overwhelmed by the high expectations set by their peers’ proficiency in AI. Phillips adds: “AI skills are becoming increasingly essential, offering the potential to transform job roles by streamlining tasks, enabling new opportunities for innovation, and unlocking opportunities for growth and profitability. By empowering teams to work smarter and enabling businesses to operate more efficiently, it can enhance both organisational performance and employee satisfaction. However, the gap in understanding how to use AI effectively impacts workers’ ability to perform their roles efficiently and find satisfaction in their work. Practical, interactive training approaches, such as gamification and rewards, are crucial in making this transition smoother.” • AI skills gap among British workforce uncovered, with 74% of UK employees expressing concerns around using AI at work • 40% have received no AI training at all, despite 89% expressing an interest in learning In response to this, Strive Training has launched AI Quest as an engaging, interactive learning experience designed to empower teams with the knowledge and confidence to embrace AI. It’s delivered in-person and designed for employees at all levels.
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